People in America: My Uncle Don Quixote

Chapter 503 Li Wei's Extensive Connections (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

As Li Wei entered the foundation's gate, a row of employees was already standing at the entrance to welcome him.

"Mr. Levi, this is your access card," Derek Walker stepped forward and said. "It grants you access privileges second only to Ms. Mellon. Would you like an office arranged?"

Li Wei took the access card, weighed it in his hand, and found it was still warm.

He glanced at the beads of sweat on Derek Walker's forehead and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work, but I don't need an office for the time being. Thank you."

At this time, Derek Walker quietly observed the famous Levi, whose relationship with Elizabeth was always the subject of much discussion within the foundation.

He watched as Elizabeth took the key card, and then stepped back to let Li Wei enter first, and Li Wei didn't even offer to do so.

Seeing the exchange of glances and subtle movements between Levi and Elizabeth, Derek Walker quietly took a step forward.

"It's nothing, it's nothing," he said, watching Li Wei casually swipe the access card. "If there's anything, you can just contact me directly. I'm Derek Walker, the head of the travel management team."

The head of the travel management team should be in charge of the travel of Mellon family members, not the one making this statement.

But Elizabeth glanced at him and surprisingly didn't raise any objections. Levi looked at him and smiled.

Derek Walker breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Elizabeth and Levi walk straight into the elevator.

For safety reasons, the executive elevator can only accommodate a maximum of two people at a time.

"This guy is quite interesting," Li Wei said in the elevator. "He's probably in charge of your transportation, right?"

'

"Yes," Elizabeth nodded, watching the old, creaking elevator go up. "He's always in charge of the trips. He's a good person; nothing's ever gone wrong."

"So, if I'm going to command him, does that mean I have to have the surname Mellon?"

"I'll take your surname," Elizabeth teased. "Will you propose to me?"

Why not?

"What about Anya?" Elizabeth asked. "And what about Kim Hoon?"

“I’ve already married them,” Li Wei said. “No one will say anything.”

Elizabeth instinctively wanted to say, "How is that possible?" But she ultimately glanced at Levi and mumbled, "That's difficult to do, isn't it? Marrying three at the same time."

The elevator reached the target floor, and Levi stepped aside to let Elizabeth out, without answering her question.

Elizabeth acted as if the topic had never existed and entered a meeting room with the executives who ran up the stairs.

After everyone took their seats, Levi sat to Elizabeth's left, and Sylvia to her right.

The executives filed in, and upon seeing Li Wei, a new face, they frequently turned their attention to him.

"I know everyone here is a fan of Levi's films," Elizabeth cleared her throat and said softly, "but let's have a meeting first and finalize our plans for next year."

Managing a foundation with more than $500 billion is no easy task; many things require thorough research and preparation in advance.

Therefore, although it is only the beginning of November, the sponsorship and donation plan for the entire year of next year has already been finalized.

The executives began to report on their key projects for the coming year one by one. As an outsider, Li Wei simply sat next to Elizabeth and listened without offering any opinions.

In the corner of the conference room's round table, in the area furthest from Elizabeth and Levi, the Chief Communications Officer and Chief Information Officer were having a private chat on their office software.

[Phoebe, Chief Communications Officer]: [What do you think Levi is here for today?]

[Todd, Chief Information Officer]: [Is he here for a meeting? Isn't he supposed to be a strategic advisor?]

Phoebe: I think I'm here to be a mascot?

[Todd]: [He's a self-made billionaire, after all... I think he's here to learn how to run his own foundation; it's just standard practice for the rich.]

Phoebe: That makes sense.

Phoebe: How about we make a bet?

Todd: [?]

[Phoebe]: [I bet $100 that he'll say less than 10 words today.]

Todd: Forget it, I don't want to gamble.

Phoebe: $1000.

Todd: No.

Phoebe: [1!]

Todd, the chief information officer sitting next to Phoebe, glared at her.

[Todd]: [Are you crazy?]

[Phoebe]: [Just playing around. Today's meeting has nothing to do with me as the communications officer. If I lose, I'll pay you 1.]

[If you lose, you'll have to pay me back 5000, how about it?]

Todd was somewhat tempted and glanced at Phoebe.

Apart from Sylvia, the other executives all received fixed salaries. Although $1 was not a large sum for them, it would still take them several days to earn it back.

Todd glanced at the silent Levi again, and for some reason suddenly felt that Levi must have come for something.

Todd: I accepted.

Li Wei ignored the gazes of those present. He had only one purpose in coming today: to trigger a mission from Elizabeth.

Thinking about it carefully, her identity is arguably the most recognized by the system. Staying by her side long enough might actually increase the probability of triggering the event.

The daily projects are handled one by one, and the vast majority go smoothly. After all, the Mellon Foundation has been operating for nearly a century and has a well-established reputation.

But Hugh Bancroft, the program director for public knowledge and libraries, suddenly spoke up, somewhat hesitantly, saying, "Well, as for the Mellon Foundation's West Coast expansion plans for next year, they're still not very clear."

"Continue." Elizabeth's face remained expressionless.

"The Los Angeles Public Library expressed their gratitude for our donation," Hugh said, "but they were still reluctant to let us name it after them; they seem to prefer receiving sponsorship from the Gates Foundation."

“That’s normal,” said another executive who was closer to Elizabeth. “We’ve never been able to penetrate the West Coast. Not only us, but the Rockefeller Foundation has no way to do it either.”

Elizabeth nodded: "If the Los Angeles Public Library doesn't let us name it after them, then there's basically nothing to talk about."

Although her tone remained normal, Li Wei could still sense a hint of resentment in her voice.

He thought for a moment, then said, "The Los Angeles Public Library?"

"That's right," Hugh said instinctively, then he realized what he meant and looked at Levi. "Mr. Levi? Is there anything you'd like to say?"

In the corner of the conference round table, Todd nudged Phoebe and made a "1" gesture.

Phoebe glared at him and then fell silent.

"Actually, I happen to know Robert Flynn, the director of the LAPD, who happens to owe me a big favor," Levi said. "Perhaps he can help."

Robert Flynn's son's drug addiction was improved by Levi using the "Knight's Light," and he still remembers this favor to this day, often asking Levi if there's anything he can help with lately.

Robert Flynn's son, Sean Flynn, was not yet fully cured of his drug addiction. As long as Levi's requests were not too unreasonable, Robert Flynn would try his best to meet them.

"That would be wonderful," Hugh blurted out, his joy overflowing. "Would Mr. Levi be willing to make an introduction?"

“Of course,” Levi shrugged. “After all, I’m also a strategic advisor to the Mellon Foundation, so Miss Mellon’s affairs are my affairs.”

Todd held up a "3" sign to Phoebe under the table.

Phoebe glared angrily at Todd.

Todd winked at Phoebe, then raised his hand and asked Levi, "Mr. Levi, but as far as I know, the Gates Foundation has been established in Los Angeles for a long time, so this is actually not a very easy thing to do."

Phoebe stared wide-eyed as Todd initiated a conversation with Levi.

Fuck, there's no rule against cheating or asking questions when you're betting.

“That’s alright,” Levi said with great certainty. “Chief Robert Flynn owes me a really, really big favor.”

He turned to Hugh and said, "I'll give you his contact information later. You can contact him yourself, and he should know what to do. Besides, he's a member of the mayor's cabinet, and the library happens to be a unit managed by the municipal government."

Xiu happily started typing on the keyboard, and the atmosphere in the entire conference room seemed to come alive all at once.

Elizabeth was also somewhat surprised, not expecting that Levi had come today with the intention of actually doing something.

She glanced around at the executives around her, noticing that Li Wei's gaze had become increasingly eager, and suddenly felt a sense of pride and recognition.

The other executives continued their reports, and after a while, a director named Nora, who was in charge of humanistic projects related to cities and communities, raised her hand: "Mr. Levi," she looked at Levi, "I have a project that I can't seem to get off the ground."

Li Wei nodded: "Please go ahead."

"It's like this, it's a Chinatown historic district preservation project," Nora prepared her words, "This project would be very beneficial to the residents of Chinatown, but there's a lot of opposition right now, and I'm having trouble pushing it through."

After thinking for a moment, Li Wei looked at Nora and asked, "Why is there so much opposition? Is it because the project proposal doesn't actually benefit them? Or will it damage their cultural heritage?"

Upon hearing this, Nora quickly explained, "Initially, the supervisor below didn't design the plan well, and there were some flaws. But after I took over, I made enough changes to ensure that I could give up enough benefits without damaging the inheritance of Chinese culture." She said with some difficulty, "But now the problem is that the other party has started to refuse to communicate with us."

Li Wei nodded: "I know Lin Daoxing, the president of the Fujian Chamber of Commerce. I can talk to him about it, but I suggest we think through the project plan before proceeding."

Nora nodded, thinking to herself that she would definitely have to redo a version when she got back.

Li Wei had already said far more than 10 sentences, and Todd gave Phoebe a smug look.

The latter glanced listlessly at Todd and Levi, suddenly feeling that the class had become utterly boring.

He closed his eyes in great pain and opened his mobile banking app.

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